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You asked, we answered! In this episode of our monthly series, Ask the Vet, Dr. Lydia Gray and SmartPaker Sarah start out by answering some fan mail! Then they answer your questions about tick prevention, straw bedding, when to call the vet, the noises that comes from a gelding’s sheath, bone supplements for horses with navicular, and way more!

If your question was answered in this video, reach out to us at CustomerCare@SmartPak.com and let us know! We’ll get your gift card out to you as soon as we can!

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Questions answered in this episode:
1. As it relates to horse health, what are the pros and cons of straw bedding?
2. When should one call the vet for the horse? And please do not say, “in any situation when you are not sure,” because that is almost all the time and would become very expensive and bothersome to the vet! Aside from trauma, what are some other obvious signals to do so?
3. My gelding makes weird noises with his sheath when we work…I’m told that it’s air, is that true? What is the cause? Is there anything I can do about it?
4. I was wondering what you thought about using bone health supplements on a horse with navicular. Horse in question was first X-rayed in 2011. Since then has had regular Osphos and has stayed sound for normal work. Would a bone supplement help keep the horse sound as she gets older? Will one even help a horse with navicular?
5. What’s the best way to deal with ticks? As summer is approaching, more and more riders are trail riding and trails mean ticks. I always find them on my horse and am not sure about proper removal. How should we treat the wound after pulling the tick out? Any good prevention tactics? My horse gets nasty swollen bites…any SmartPak supplements or products to help?

Love your videos, thank you!
We live in a wooded area of Eastern Kentucky and have to deal with ticks a lot. I would like to share with you an idea my husband came up with that makes disposal of the ticks easy. Have any type of tape (cellophane, duct, masking etc) handy and as you pull the tick out quickly stick it to the tape so it can’t escape, fold the tape over the tick and throw it away. No smashing the bugger, no jar of dead ticks floating in alcohol, and no dropping the tick to prey another day on another horse. It also works on ticks that have not yet attached as you can grab them with the tape as they try to scurry away and you don’t have to touch them. We keep a roll of cheap cellophane tape in all our grooming kits.

Thanks so much for these videos and incite into horse issues. As a “horse Mom” (pay for it, my daughter rides) I end up with all of the horse issues. I’m so glad I can go to Smart Pak and get the info and products I need. ❤️

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